Ornamental chain



April 28, 1925. 1,535,884

l H. WOLCOTT ORNAMENTAL CHAIN Filed Oct. 27, 1924 Aeo Patented Apr. 28,1925.

UNITED srrns HENRY WOLCOIT, OF FROVEDENGE, RHODE ISLAND.

ORNAMENTAL CHAIN.

Application filed October 27, 1924.

To all fro/omit may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY VVoLCoT'r, a citizen ot the United States,residing at Providence, in the county ot Providence and State otl RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useiul improvements in OrnamentalChains, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to chains, straps, or bands for ornamental uses,such as in the construction oi? bracelets, arn'ilets, belts, andstructures of similar character.

The primary objects ot my invention are to enable a tacile and speedyremoval or sl'ibstitution of any link or unit of the chain or strap, torthe purpose ot repair or change olf length; to insure against accidentalunlocking or detachment ot the inter-engaged parts of the` units; tomake possible construct-ionof parts exclusively from blanks cut and bentfrom sheetmetal; to avoid the necessity of fused connections; and toinsure flexibility and strength.

To the enumerated ends essentially my invention consists in such partsand in such combinations oit parts as tall within the scope ot theappendedclaims.

In the accompanying' drawings which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a length of a chain, strap, or bandembodying my invention, 1

Figure 2, an enlarged `fragmentary front elevation of a portion of thesame arranged in a plane and showing certain ot' the outer shells ortubes in longitudinal section,

Figure 3, a fragmentary plan view, partially in central longitudinalsection of the same,

Figure f1, a Afragmentary front elevation of the adjacent units with theparts in initial position for unlocking,

Figure 5, a. like elevation of the same with the parts in `unlockedposition, and

Figures 6 and 7, detail views ot a. connecting member, and its carrierrespectively.

Like reference characters indicate likel parts throughout the views.

In the torni ot my invention herein illustrated the chain comprises aplurality of chainlinks or units 12, each of which consists ot a tubularshell or casing 13 cut trom a length of tubing, preferably rectangularin cross section, and, it desired, longitudinally curved as shown. Theshell herein shown has a front and back wall 14: and`15 re* Serial No.746,004.

spectively, and side. walls 16. The center of the back wall is providedwith a peritoration 1S.

A locking or carrier member 20, shown in Figure 7, is detachably mountedin each casing and consists ot a resil'ent locking plate or base 21,integral with each of whose ends is a lug 22 comprising a narrow `neckportion 23 disposed at substantially a right angle tothe base, and abroader head portion 2t bent into a plane substantially parallel withthe base. Intermediate the heads 24 and base 21 the neck 23 formsresultant cavities rlhe member 2O tits within its casing and iscompletely housed therein. The locking plate 21 rests against the shellwall and is provided centrally with a rounded projection 26 indented inthe material and which extendsinto the perforation 18 to lock the member2O against movement.

Slidably mounted in each member is an oblong link 29 provided with acentral rectangular opening 30 constituting a trame having end bars 31and side bars 32, and an inwardly directed ear 33 integral with themiddle oi vone of the end bars, and lying in the plane of the frame, allas shown in Figure 6. rllhe side bars`32 of the link 29 slides in thecavities ot o-ne of the lugs 22 and projects into the next adjacentcasing where its projecting portion, which maybe referred to as its-forward portion, surrounds the neck 23 of the rear lug in the second`casing. An elliptic helical spring 34 is mounted in the opening of eachmember 29 where it engages the ear 33. Its rear end abuts against theadjacent bar 31 of this member, and its forward end rests against theneck 23 of the forward lug 22, whereby the casings 13 are normallyretained in contact with each other.

The described chain may be manually eX- panded and flexed as desired. Todetachv a link, a. pin or other pointed implement is employed to pressdiagonally inward the projection 26 whereby the plate 21 yields and theprojectio-n'26 moves out oi' the pertoration 18 and rests upon the innerface oit' the casing portion 15 which permits two ot the adjacentunits121to be separated an excessive dista-nce, as shown in Figure if One ot'said adjacent units is then turned at an angle to the other so as tobring the traine 29 of the latter out ot the cavities 25 of the engaginglug and, as shown in Figure 5, position the head 24 of the lug into apo- CFI sition to be removed from said frame7 wheref upon the casings135 which have during the described operations been manually rearwardlypressed, are released. A similar operation severs the opposite end ofthe terminal unit 12. The severed lengths of, the chain may be reunitedor another unit inserted by a reversal of thedescribedf operation.

I; do not limit my invention, to the exact arrangement andV combinationofi parts set forth in this speciiication, no-r do I confinev tendingvinto adjacent shells adapted, to engage the carriersy therein,I andsprings supported by the links engaging the carriers.

2: In an article of the type set forth, a series of'` exterior hollowcasings having open ends, and, provided with perforations7 carriermembers comprising a resilient locking plateacljacent the back of thecasings, projections on the plates extending into the perfor-ations,forwardly directednecks upon the ends of theplate, and inwardly directedheads uponithenecks adjacentthe frontor. the casings, openY linksslidably mounted inl the carriery embracing the necks upon the forwardendsof the carriers andthe necks of the rear ends orlv adjacentcarriers, and compression springs in the links engaging the rear ends ofthe frames and the forward necks on` the. carriers.

In testimony whereof` I have affixed my signature.

HENRY WOLGOTT.

